“Sam, please tell me you know it’s not solely your responsibility to find him and the others.”
“I do know that, but if I can fix this for him and Tracy?—”
“No, no, no. That’s not up to you either. You simply can’t take ownership of successfully solving this case. Because if, God forbid, it ends badly, you’d also take the blame, and I won’t let you do that.”
“We have to find him. We just have to.” She pulled back from him, wiped tears from her face and tried to pull herself together. The longer this went on and the more exhausted she became, the harder it was to maintain any semblance of composure.
Chapter Thirteen
Chief Farnsworth appeared in her open door. “Sorry to interrupt.”
“You’re not,” Sam said as she stepped away from Nick. “Come in.”
She returned to her desk chair while the chief took her other visitor chair.
“That meeting has me speechless,” he said.
“I know. It’s shocking and a lot to process.”
“How have we never heard of this?”
“I guess we’re lucky that it hadn’t factored into a case before.”
“Yes, we are, but we’ll probably be seeing more of it, based on Agent Fuller’s assessment.”
“It’s terrifying what’s happening online that most people know nothing about. I fell into the rabbit hole last night and was as shocked as you are. I’m trying to imagine my sweet nephew caught up in something like this, and it’s simply unfathomable.”
“I have to think your dad is watching over him wherever he is and will help get him home safely,” the chief said.
“That’s a comforting thought.”
“If there’s anything I can do for you or Tracy, please let me know. Marti and I are praying for his safe return.”
“Thank you both. That means a lot.”
“I’ll let you get back to work.” He shook hands with Nick and left the office as Sam
picked up her desk phone to call Archie.
“Hey,” he said.
“Have you been home?”
“Not yet. I brought the computer from Tracy’s house here to continue processing it.”
“Thanks for sticking with it. CSU found a note at Luna’s house from Ethan in which he tells her he thinks she’s pretty and would like to get to know her. He gave her his number.”
“Okay, I’ll look to see if she ever made that call. Did you tell Ruiz about the note?”
“Haggerty was going to.”
“Okay.”
“I’m being a team player. Don’t worry.”
“What? Me worry?”
“Haha, I deserve that.”
